Nathan Stout

With the help and support of legislators and community members East County Water Control District (ECWCD) has evolved during the last 51 years to include programs to protect and enrich our water resources and community such as rights-of-way and canal maintenance, developing neighborhood parks, non-native plant removal, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) programs, and flood and drainage protection.

ECWCD ensures canals are properly maintained to both store and move water to particular areas; this allows for recharge in the dry season and flood protection in the rainy season.

Each element of our operation makes the next step possible. As our community grows, so do the demands of our organization and our structures.

As a commissioner of the Board, I would like to extend our gratitude to our residents for their continued support as our community continues to grow.

The District’s 32-member staff is responsible for maintaining its 360 culvert crossings, 22 bridges, 311 miles of canals, 20 lakes, 66 water control structures and 1,298 preserve acres which includes Harns Marsh a the 598 acre water retention/ detention area.

Water management requires constant readjustment, fine-tuning and revision to adequately deal with a system that is always in a state of flux.

Since 1999, the District has spent approximately $14.5 million replacing 60 culvert crossings, 20 water control structures; developing Carlos Waterway; and establishing three community parks. The District has made great strides to improve our infrastructure and protect our water resources, but is still faced with a list of projects in need of replacement or improvements.

For nearly 10 years, the District has worked to responsibly hold assessments at the lowest level possible for residents while still providing enough resources for operations and replacement projects.

We strive to enrich the community and to preserve and protect water resources – which are crucial during hurricane season.

We have come a long way with the help and support of our residents. With this continued help and support of both the community and government agencies, ECWCD can successfully continue to combat water management challenges in the future.

To address the ever-changing needs of the canal system, the District holds a regular board meeting on the fourth Monday of each month.

We encourage residents to attend and express their opinions, so that we may find the best solutions in protecting our community from floods with the best drainage and retention solutions; adding community value through our neighborhood parks protecting our water resources; and recharging our aquifers.

Nate Stout is a member of the East County Water Control District.